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"Klismos" Chair

Designer Terence Harold Robsjohn-Gibbings American, born England
Manufacturer Peterson Studios
ca. 1937
Not on view
Robsjohn-Gibbings’s design derives from the ancient klismos chair, introduced in Greece during the fifth century. The klismos is elegant and light. The curved, tapered legs slope forward and rearward, offering stability. The rear legs sweep continuously upward to support a wide concave backrest like a curved tablet, which supports the sitter’s shoulders and may be low enough to lean an elbow on. Lacking painted decoration, Robsjohn-Gibbings’s chair calls attention to its natural materials.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: "Klismos" Chair
  • Designer: Terence Harold Robsjohn-Gibbings (American (born England), London 1905–1976 Athens)
  • Manufacturer: Peterson Studios
  • Date: ca. 1937
  • Medium: Birch, vellum
  • Dimensions: 35 7/8 × 24 1/2 × 30 3/8 in. (91.1 × 62.2 × 77.2 cm)
    Weight: 14 lbs (6.4 kg)
  • Classification: Furniture-Wood
  • Credit Line: Purchase, The Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation Gift, 2001
  • Object Number: 2001.207
  • Curatorial Department: Modern and Contemporary Art

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